Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1887-04-08
Some Things we Don't Like to See.
HOW THE DEMOCRATIC DOG Is wAGGED
BY THE REPUBLICAN TAIL.

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onstrating the truth Of the assertion
by ready application. The first of
these is Gov. Squire, who has been re-
tanned, in spite of the most earnest
protests that could be made by the
Democratic party. 1t is not claimed
that there is any special reason why
Gov. Squire should be removed, aside
from partisan grounds. This is, how
ever, with the President, (and so far as
we know he is the only professed
Democrat who takes that view of the
NATTER no reason at all. He would
not remove the Governor without
cause. Gov. Squire has probably done
nothing that would justify the term
offensive partisan any more than those
lifelong Democrats who seem to be
placed beyond the pale of eligibility
f, for Office for an activity that is deemed
pernicious under the new-fangled
civil service ideas that seem to prevail
at the White House. Gov. Squire is
simply Republican partisan, and has
merely done what any other consistent
Republican would have done under
similar circumstances. He has given
all the patronage at his disposal to his
party associates, and aided by all le-
climate means to strengthen the Re-
publican party. He appointed Re-
publican Auditor, Republican Treas
urer, Republican Librarian, a Re
publican Board of Trustees for the
Asylum and the Penitentiary, and
Republicans to score or more other
offices of emolument and trust. The
Territorial Secretary has done the
same thing. He did not hesitate a
second to place all the patronage OF
his Office precisely where it would do
the most good" Party organs are a
necessity. They cost money unless
some self-sacrifcing individual, with
more zeal than brains, carries the
load. The 5000 or 5000 at his dis
posal was expended, for the express
purpose of perpetuating the Partisan,
a Republican newspaper, perniciously
active at all times and under all cir
cumstances. Still we cannot blame
him. 1t is the natural sequence OF
Presidential civil service reform.
While Democrats cannot but feel an
admiration for Gov. Squire's faithful
and consistent adherence to the in
terests of his party, they cannot re-
press, as they contemplate the situa-
ton, a yearning for the spirit to move
come Democrat in Office to bestow the
patronage at his disposition to his own
party Is faithfully as have Gov.
Squire and Secretary Owings.
THE GOVERNMENT DEMANDS ITS POUND
OF FLESH.
Another matter that we deem ex-
cessively unjust and oppressive, is an
order lately given by the Interior De-
partment to prosecute claims against
bondsmen of officers whose accounts
should have been settled a score or
more of years ago. In some instances
the principals have long been slumber-
ing in the grave, and probably one or
two Of the sureties survive to be hec-
tored, embarrassed and finally made to
pay deficiencies never before demanded
by the Government, with interest for
ten, fifteen or twenty years added to
the amount. It seems that these
claims should have been returned
within the time that would outlaw a
claim between individuals, and it ap-
pears no less than extortion to demand
interest on q deficiency that the sure
ties had no means of knowing ever
existed. In one instance that has
come to our knowledge, a claim of $19
was paid by a bondsman with interest
that increased it to upwards of $50,
and subsequently voucher was found
whereby the Government twenty years
ago acknowledged the receipt of that
precise sum in full payment OF the
amount due. What does the Depart
ment do in such casef Simply &C.
knowledges fling of the receipt with
an intimation that the matter had
been referred to the appropriate branch
of the Circumlocution Office! In the
course of the fullness of time the VIC
tim will, if he is in luck, receive the
amount paid, but if he claims interest,
the same as the Government did with
out notification of indebtedness, he
will be CURLY told to Whistle for it."
1t seems almost as if this course must
be cunningly devised scheme of the
civil service hold-over Republican sub
ordinates Of the Interior Department mt
to bring the Administration into dis
repute.
Can such things be under free gov
eminent? Are the rights of citizens
to be completely ignored when the
Government is party at INTEREST," If
80, what better is it than absolute des-
potism?
IT is quite evident that the editor of
the Tacoma News had not the remotest
intention of running against Wall
when he wrote the paragraph to which
exception was taken.